


The World Is Ending At Last

by oopsthisisqueertoo



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Akaashi is an edgelord, Alternate Universe - College/University, Drinking, Happy Ending, Language, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Self-Doubt, frat party, just some smooching, mention of bullying, no actual sex though, only acceptable version of boys will be boys, reference to sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:41:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23392678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oopsthisisqueertoo/pseuds/oopsthisisqueertoo
Summary: Kenma never thought he'd attend a frat party. Never, ever, ever. But then Keiji made him go. Then there was this cute boy that walked his drunk ass home. And, wait. Holy shit, is he actually becoming friends with frat boys?An au in which Kenma just wants peace, Akaashi wants to live life, and Hinata, Bokuto, and Shoyu are in a fraternity.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma, Kuroo Tetsurou/Sawamura Daichi, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 31
Kudos: 224





	The World Is Ending At Last

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SatanUiAgi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SatanUiAgi/gifts).



> For my beloved wife who's waited almost a year for her birthday fic. Maybe you'll get this year's fic only six months after your birthday. ;) lol

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Kenma groans. “I can’t believe you want to do this. I _don’t_ want to do this. Why _are_ we doing this?”

“We’re young, Kenma.” Keiji chides as he drags Kenma along toward his imminent doom. “It’s good to have experiences like this.”

“How is this a good experience? If you think this is a good experience, you parents will be so, so disappointed in you, Keiji. Society is disappointed in you. _I’m_ disappointed in you. I’m _so_ disappointed in you that I’m going to write your parents a disapproving letter. Maybe they’ll pay me for damages. Or maybe just to keep me quiet.”

Akaashi ignores Kenma’s persistent whines and guilt trips, continuing pulling him along anyway. Kenma would’ve preferred going to the doctor over their destination right now. He would’ve preferred going to a deserted island without shade and wi-fi right now. That’s how bad tonight was going to be. Hell. It was hell. Even running would’ve been better than this! He could’ve at least blocked out the world as his brain started shutting down from lack of oxygen.

“You know you don’t need an excuse to drink, right?” He tries again. “And you’re too pretty to feel the need to get picked up at a frat house, _right_? We could just go to a nice gay bar or, you know, walk by some attractive guys. They’d follow you anywhere.”

“I’m well aware.” He gives a kind smile before plastering the determined face he’d been wearing. “That’s not why we’re going. Although,” he pauses in fake thought, “those things may happen still.” He gives a smirk and pulls Kenma by the wrist harder.

“Ugh. Why? Why this? Why not anything else? They don’t have brains, Keiji. It’s a fucking fraternity house. Pretty sure all they do is drink, say ‘bro’, and work out. I’m not even sure if they’re real university students. I think they’re just here for the college aesthetic.”

“Even then,” he hums, “it’s good to get out of the house and have a little fun. After tonight, you can say you’ve done it and that’ll be that.”

“Assuming I have brain cells left after tonight.” Kenma mumbles and shoots a glare at Keiji, who just gives a wink back, already intoxicated by his own excitement. “In what world would I need to tell someone that I’ve been to a frat party? No one would believe me anyway.” He crosses his free arm over his body, still fuming. “Not that I’d ever admit to it.”

“Maybe when the world is ending?” Keiji muses back, still focused on getting them to the party.

Kenma’s not sure what in the hell got Keiji interested in going to a frat party, but he wanted to burn it or them down. He’d insisted on making Kenma go too. Did Kenma want to go? Hell no. Did he agree to go? Hell no. Did he concede to Keiji’s stupidly pretty face and desire to make him happy? Yes. Did he regret it? Oh, fuck yes. And they weren’t even there yet. At least Keiji wouldn’t be able to con him into something stupid for a long time after this.

The worst part about this whole experience, though? That was being without games. And his phone. He could be anywhere and be content as long as he had a game to distract himself. Akaashi said no. And not in like that “no that’s not okay” way but in the “no and that’s final” type of way. The parent who lays down the laws type of way. He was scary when he wanted to be. He was the top in their friendship, for sure. Kenma was waiting for the day that Akaashi filed taxes for him too.

Kenma gives another exaggerated groan in hopes it’d finally convince Keiji to let him go home as they walk up to the building and head straight to the back yard since that’s where the noise and proclaimed “fun” was coming from. Kenma’s idea of fun was back in bed with a controller in his hand, a red bull, and those popcorn Cheeto puffs. Damn. He could go for a whole bag of those right now. Not that he didn’t usually eat the whole bag in one sitting anyway. They were so damn addictive.

The noise was another thing Kenma didn’t want to deal with. It was too loud within two blocks of the place and had gotten louder with each step. He wasn’t made for parties. He was barely made for socializing. Keiji knew this. Keiji would pay for this. Nothing good would come of this. _Nothing_.

When they make it around back, the first sight they’re met with is a boy doing a keg stand. His white and black hair is hair sticking directly up and his shirt so tight that it’s barely falling down enough to show his belly button piercing even though he’s upside down. Beside him, a tall guy with terrible hair is helping hold his legs up while giving him the shittiest smirk. It’s hard to tell if they’re friends or not with that face. He might be trying to make the guy drown in beer. Who knows though, maybe it’d be the idea way to die for a frat boy? Kenma couldn’t relate.

Kenma wrinkles his nose and takes a step back. This wasn’t the place for him. Not that he hadn’t known that already. Everyone who’d ever met Kenma knew this wasn’t his type of place.

Keiji’s eyes twinkle as he eyes the spectacle. “I want to do that.”

Kenma furrows his eyebrows and wrinkles his nose more in disgust, his mouth slightly agape. “The guy or the keg stand?”

“Keg stand.” He promptly replies. “Maybe the guy too. He’s very pretty.”

Kenma gives another groan. “When can we leave? We came, we saw, we experienced, now we can go home, right?”

Keiji takes a few steps away from Kenma, walking backwards toward the keg stand. “I’ll come find you later. Go have fun. Experience something exciting and different.” He gives a final wink before turning around and talking to the guy who’d been doing a keg stand, whose hair is still sticking straight up even though he’s standing now. A short, loud orange-haired boy is scintillating as he loudly praises him. The weird haired guy is looking unreasonably pleased with himself and puffing his chest out even though he’d spilled beer on himself.

_Super classy. I hope they marry so I can tell everyone Keiji’s ever met that the first time he laid eyes on the love of his live was when he was doing a keg stand with beer all over him._

“I fucking hate you so much right now.” Kenma grumbles before looking around.

The place was packed with people he didn’t know and didn’t want to know. Normally, he’d just grab his phone or a game and sit quietly in a corner until it was time to go, but that wasn’t an option since Keiji had taken those away from him. It was Keiji’s way of making sure he socialized. And didn’t leave. Kenma was going to murder him later. After he got him to buy him a new game or fifty, that is. At least, if he could hold out on murdering him before then. Usually he could hold out on anything if it was for games. He wasn’t so sure about this.

Seeing no place to hide, he looks desperately back to where Keiji had gone. He’s still talking to the boy who’d been doing the keg stand and is leaning in closely to him. Kenma still couldn’t tell if he was more interested in doing a keg stand or the boy. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to join in on that. Between the guy Keiji was eye-fucking and the orange-haired boy, it was louder over there than anywhere else. It shouldn’t be possible, but it was.

Giving another groan, he walks around looking for somewhere to hide. The yard was packed with music blasting making the world around him too busy. His tiny body couldn’t handle so much stimulation. Seeing people go in and out of the house, he slips inside to see if he could find refuge. Of course, instead of quiet, he found the booze. Not a terrible find, but the source of booze meant people were continually coming in and out. Some even looked like they were permanently residing by the booze. They were getting sloppy and Kenma _really_ didn’t want to be around to experience that. He’d seen enough drunken salarymen roaming around late at night to be a little too weary of drunks.

He sneaks in to grab a quick cup of something that smelled like apple pie mixed with rubbing alcohol before continuing wandering around the house for solitude. He slowly sips on his drink, feeling the intense burn each time, wondering what in the hell he was drinking. Still not finding a quieter space downstairs, he eyes the stairs tentatively. He may’ve never been to a frat party before, but he was keenly aware of what typically happened in bedrooms at parties and it was nothing he wanted to hear. Being downstairs in the noise would be immensely better than that. Still, there weren’t many people going up and down the stairs. And they weren’t blocked off. In all, the party seemed to lack the unchecked hormonal rage of drunk young adults. Well. Except maybe for the two girls slowly making out on the couch and whispering lovingly to each other. They were more adorable than sex-filled. If he wasn’t scared of being labeled a pervert, he’d stop and admire the fluffy adorableness they were putting off. It was top tier heartwarming stuff. Admittedly, he was a bit jealous, but relationships required socializing and effort and that just wasn’t for him.

The music gets turned up, and he decides to take a chance. He sneaks upstairs to find the dorm rooms. Not hearing drunk dude-bros banging their partners for the night, he wanders looking for a corner or an open door or something to hide in. The second floor is a bust, so he heads to the third. It’s almost deserted. He can hear some people in their rooms and a few doors are open with groups in them, but everything’s surprisingly tame.

“Serves Keiji right. No crazy wild party for him.” Kenma grumbles to himself again before stumbling upon an open door with no one in it. The bed is made, and the room doesn’t have much in it. He looks around to see if anyone is coming back, but the hall is still deserted.

_Maybe they’re hanging out in one of the other rooms?_

Cautiously, he sits outside the door waiting to see if anyone will show up. With no games on him to play, he drinks. And drinks. No matter how much he drinks, his drink doesn’t start to taste better.

_What the fuck kind of shit is this? Part of you has such a lovely smell? Why can’t you taste like that? Shouldn’t you taste better the more drunk I get?_

Sitting there, alone, getting steadily more drunk, and seeing no one coming to the room he’s been staking out, he decides to go in. It’s not like he’ll know the person. Or ever see them again. He had zero interest and zero business being near a frat house. He barely even made it to campus for his own classes.

Not finding a game in the room, he sets his drink aside and plops onto the bed. Keiji would have to come find him eventually. Let him work to find him. That’s one of his punishments for taking away Kenma’s phone and dragging him to this hell-hole.

**. . .**

Kenma wakes to a pounding head and the urge to vomit. Seeing the bathroom door to the room open, he lunges for it. By the time he’s finished doing his eighth least favorite thing in the world and has recovered enough to know where he was, he notices the bathroom door had been closed. No way in hell he’d remembered to close it. He’d barely made it to the toilet. Giving a groan of embarrassment, he tries to clean himself up, so he won’t have to face some stranger at his absolute worst after he’d snuck into their room and passed out on their bed. Hell. He didn’t even know what time it was. Or day at this point. The party had started pretty late at night. Who knows how long he’d been knocked out with booze. Maybe long enough to make Keiji worry. That’d be nice.

He opens the door slowly, head down and hair covering as much of his face as possible. There’s a faint clicking of a keyboard and pages turning and the only light is from a lamp on the desk.

It’s still too freaking bright.

Kenma squeezes his eyes shut in pain and instantly covers his mouth with his hand in fear of vomiting again.

“They really need to label the moonshine. It doesn’t sit well with anyone but the heavy drinkers.”

The voice is quiet comes from the direction of the desk. Kenma peeks through his hair to find the same shitty haired guy from earlier quietly doing homework and looking eerily calm. He’s got a bobby pin keeping his hair out of his eyes and has changed into a t-shirt and gym shorts.

“It’ll kick your ass.” He hums, still not looking at Kenma. “There’s some Gatorade and medicine on the bedside table for you. You didn’t seem like a hair of the dog type, so I threw the rest of your drink out.”

“Gatorade?” Kenma questions weakly, feeling the urge to vomit again. His stomach didn’t want anything right now.

“Yeah. It’s a trade secret. Hydrates you and typically you don’t want to upchuck it. Plus,” he raises his voice and octave, “it has electrolytes. It’s what plants crave.” He gives a snort at the electrolyte reference.

Kenma gives a small hum before taking a swig and taking the medicine against his better judgement. His world is still a little wobbly and he’s not sure if he’ll be able to make it down the stairs. “Sorry to intrude. I’ll be leaving now.”

It’s not until then that the guy looks at him. His piercing dark yellow eyes look through him as he frowns. “You came with that ridiculously pretty guy, right? Akaashi, I think?”

Kenma’s head jolts back slightly. “Yeah?”

“Thought so. He got utterly smashed and is staying with my best bro Bokuto tonight. He’d said something about not being able to leave without you since he’d taken your money and phone.” He gives a shit-eating smirk. “Looks like you’re stuck with me tonight. Don’t worry, I don’t bite.”

Kenma shoots the guy a death glare, unsure if he hated the guy or Keiji more right now.

“Hey. Just be happy Bokuto’s on the fifth floor. Pretty sure Akaashi’s going to jump his bones tonight and Bo’s super fucking loud when he’s not having sex, so you can imagine how loud he is during.” The guy shrugs.

Kenma’s shoulders shoot up to his ears and the urge to vomit returns. He stumbles back and presses against a wall.

“Aww~. That’s something I, for one, would like to see~” The guy smirks again. “But, if you’d rather leave, I’ve got someone in mind that can take you home. He’s a little loud, though. Might want to nap or sober up a little first.”

Unsettled at going home with some frat boy stranger, Kenma shoots him a disgruntled look.

“What? You rather I take you home~?” He muses in a low purr. “I’d love to, but I’ve got to study for a test.” He motions to his textbooks. “Don’t worry though. The kid’s a ray of sunshine. Not sure he’s ever thought something mean in his life. Nothing bad will befall you.”

“I can make it on my own.” Kenma grumbles, taking a few steps toward the door.

“Nuh uh.” The guy scrambles up and blocks the door. “I’m not letting you wander the streets drunk, phoneless, and moneyless. Trains have stopped running or I’d give you money for that.”

“You sure are kind for a dude-bro.” Kenma mutters, still not looking at the guy.

“I’m always this kind,” he grins. “And the name’s Kuroo. And Hinata will be taking you home. He’s probably downstairs helping clean up. Let’s go find him.”

Kenma gives a sigh and nods. He didn’t have the energy to deal with this guy. Maybe the other guy would let him be. No way all frat guys could be nice. It just wasn’t statistically possible.

Kuroo grabs the Gatorade Kenma had drank from and hands it to him before leading him back downstairs out to the yard. Several guys are cleaning up cups and other trash laying around, music playing softly. They walk toward the short orange-haired boy that Kenma had seen talking to Kuroo earlier.

“Oi, Hinata!” Kuroo calls a bit too loudly for Kenma’s pounding brain.

The boy whips his head around way more enthusiastically than one should at whatever god-forsaken hour this was. “Kuroo!” He bounds away from the trash bag he’d been holding and dashes up to Kuroo, still sparkling. “Tonight was ah-mazing! Did you see me do the keg stand? Did you? Did you?”

“I sure did, squirt.” Kuroo ruffles his hair fondly. “I’ve got another super important task for you tonight, though. Can I count on you?”

The boy does a loud gasp and Kenma has to squint so he’s not blinded by the sunshine radiating off the boy. “Of course!”

“Atta boy. I need you to make sure our new friend—” he motions toward Kenma with a raised eyebrow.

“Kenma.” Kenma mutters back, now looking at the ground, wishing it’d eat him. Sinkholes existed. Maybe one would appear here. A tiny one just for him. Kenma sized.

“—gets back home safely. His beauty of a friend is staying here with Bo and he left our dear Kenma without any money or a phone. The poor kitten’s drunk and lost!” He motions to the sky and wipes a fake tear from his eyes.

Hinata gives another loud gasp and then salutes. “You can count on me Kenma!” He stares at Kenma with his cinnamon-copper eyes, examining him.

Feeling a little unnerved by the direct eye contact, Kenma shifts his gaze back to the ground and mumbles, “Thank you”.

“You two have fun~” Kuroo purrs as Hinata takes Kenma’s hand and leads him toward the front of the dorm house.

“Uh, Hinata?” Kenma questions, eyebrow cocked and starting to tug his hand away from the boy.

“You can call me Shoyo!” He exclaims, still too loudly for Kenma. “Kuroo entrusted you to me, so I can’t let you go until you make it home! It’s on the fraternity’s honor!” He gives Kenma’s hand a reassuring squeeze as he briskly walks out toward the street.

Kenma tugs at his hand again, feeling nausea wash over him from moving too much. “Please,” he covers his mouth with his free hand and hunches over slightly, “at least slow down”.

“Ahh! I’m so sorry!” Hinata blurts out at too high of a pitch.

Kenma clenches his teeth and closes his eyes at the sound. “And please stop yelling.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Hinata mumbles. “I forget I’m loud. Everyone says I’m loud. And too hyper.” He sheepishly admits, rubbing the back of his neck, sparkles still radiating off him.

Kenma takes a few breaths before standing back up straight. “It’s okay. Just.” He sneaks a peek of the sunshine through his hair. “Let’s just go slow.”

Hinata stares at him for a second with wide eyes before making a small “ooo” sound and nodding vigorously. Kenma can’t figure out where he’s getting his energy from. Was it solar? Did he charge during the day and then expel all that energy at night? How did it work? How did it turn off? Did it turn off? Could Kenma utilize that energy for his handhelds? When the world ended, could he rely on this small boy for electricity?

“So, did you have fun tonight?” Hinata asks as he hums, swinging Kenma’s hand he’d been holding.

“Uh,” Kenma starts, giving him a weary look through his hair, “I was forced to come, didn’t have any games on me, got too drunk and passed out in a strangers room.”

_And threw up. Ugh. Don’t remind yourself, Kenma. It’s like Keiji always says, “Pretty boys don’t throw up.”_

Hinata gives a boisterous laugh that makes Kenma flinch. “Sounds like an experience!”

Kenma rolls his eyes. “Ugh. That’s what Keiji said.”

“Oooh! Akaashi-san’s really pretty! Did you see him do the keg stand? He was all like fwoom! He nailed it like a boss! I think Bokuto-san fell in love with him!”

“That’ll only last until he gets to know him,” Kenma grumbles back.

Hinata stops walking, eyes Kenma, and then gives another big laugh. “For someone so quiet, you sure are funny!”

Kenma’s eyebrows raise at that and he sneaks another peek at Hinata. He has genuine laughter tears in his eyes. He hadn’t noticed it before, but he looked nice. A little on the short side, but still cute. A light blush spreads across Kenma’s face at the thought.

“You okay? You going to be sick again?” Hinata cocks his head at him, making him look even more cute. “Drink some. It’s better to drink instead of dry heaving.”

Kenma gives his head a soft shakes and tugs at Hinata’s hand to keep walking. They walk for silence for a while, until Hinata looks like he’s about to burst unless he speaks again.

“Do you like volleyball?” He blurts out a little too eagerly. “It’s my favorite!”

Kenma winces at the noise and the thought of expending energy. But mostly at the noise. Moving and sweating wasn’t really his kind of thing.

“Too tiring.” He mumbles.

“Ah! That’s too bad! It’s like our thing at the frat house. We’re all crazy about it! Next weekend we’re gonna do a tournament. I was hoping you and Akaashi-san would come play! Watching is good too, though! Anything to do with volleyball is the best!” He gives a big smile before making a surprised face. “Oh! And meat buns!”

Kenma narrows his eyes at him. If Keiji didn’t regret tonight, he’d end up being dragged back next weekend. Still, he was a bit surprised. “You’re not having another house party next weekend?”

_Isn’t that what frat houses do? I thought it was their Thing™._

“Nah! We don’t do those that often! Of course, we like to throw an occasional party, but most of them are obligatory. We’re got a bunch of fundraisers coming up instead!”

“Fundraisers?” Kenma dryly questions.

“Yup! We’ll charge admission for the volleyball tournament. A bunch of half-naked guys really gets the money flowing,” he gives a wink, “but it’s all for a drop-in center for homeless teens. The college lets us use the gym for free and our members organize, set up, play, and clean up.”

“Do what now?” Kenma shakes his head slightly. Nothing was making sense right now.

“Didn’t you know? Philanthropy is a big deal for us?” He cocks his head again slightly. “Our house is pretty much all athletes and we use that to raise money. We used to try cooking things, but, uh,” he scratches the back of his head, messing up his hair, “let’s just say we’re not _allowed_ to do that anymore.”

“You poisoned people?”

“Huh. Not. Not exactly.” He grimaces. “There was just, like, a small fire.” He shakes his head unconvincingly. “Like a camping fire. Not like we were burning down Kakariko Village.”

Kenma’s eyes light up at that. Finally, something that would make this walk more bearable. Something he _enjoyed_. “You play Zelda?”

“Pshaw! Everyone’s played Zelda!”

Kenma’s shoulders drop. He was right. Everyone has played Zelda at some point. Getting excited had been stupid of him.

“Oh.”

“You like games then? You said you didn’t have any on you earlier.”

Kenma’s ears perk up unintentionally at that. He peeks from behind his hair to see Hinata positively scintillating again. If they weren’t on the road to talking about games, he be offended by all the stars and sparkles that were hitting him on the head. “Yeah.”

“Ohhh! I bet you’re great at them! You are, aren’t you?”

Kenma looks around nervously. “Pretty good.”

“I knew it!” He shouts back. “You have that look! Awww! I want to see you play!” He runs his hand over his face, whining and bouncing on his toes.

_Why in the hell would you want to do that? And what do you mean by “have that look”? It’s not nice to make people cry._

Kenma shoots him a disgruntled look from behind his hair but doesn’t say anything.

“Ooh! I know!” Hinata lets go of Kenma’s hand and jumps up and down in place a few times. “Come watch me play volleyball and after I can watch you play games!”

_We don’t even know each other. Why would I do that? Why would you want to do that? Did that creepy guy Kuroo send me home with a drunk guy? What is this? Make it go away._

“Uh.” Kenma looks around trying to find an out. They’re approaching the apartment complex where he and Keiji stay. He stops and gives it an intent look to signify this trip was over. “We’ll see.”

“Great!” Hinata squeals, jumping up again in excitement.

Kenma had seen it a second ago, but it dawned on him that Hinata was jumping almost Kenma’s full height. And he’d been drinking. And it was late at night. There was no way he was in top jumping form.

_I wish my characters could jump that high. It’d be amazing. Or be able to jump at all. Still not sure what kind of bullshit developer decided to make a game where your character can’t jump._

“This is you right?” Hinata hums, vibrating in place, looking back and forth between Kenma and the apartment. “You got keys, right? Need me to walk you up too?” He gives a large smile.

Kenma shrinks slightly at that. He’d almost forgotten he’d let a stranger walk him home. Almost.

“N-no. I can manage from here.” He mumbles, staring at the ground.

Hinata’s quiet for a second too long, making Kenma tense, but he resumes his cheerful demeanor. “Okay then! Bye Kenma! See you next weekend at the volleyball tournament!” He takes a few quick backward steps away, waving, before running back toward the direction they’d came from.

Kenma gives a confused look at him before heading into his apartment. He was too tired to process any of what’d happened tonight. He needed a nap and then a gaming marathon. It was the self-care he deserved after all that nonsense.

**. . .**

Kenma’s sipping on a Red Bull in the middle of his post nap gaming marathon when Keiji finally decides to drag in late the next afternoon. Even though he knew Keiji was hungover and tired as hell, he still looked amazing. It was bullshit. No human should be able to look that good before stumbling into the bathroom to vomit. With at least one new phone number and a date later this week, no less.

By the time Keiji finally emerges, showered and back to his full, blinding beauty, Kenma’s hyper focused on his game, shutting the world out. He only vaguely recognizes that Akaashi flops down on the couch beside him.

“How badly did you hate the party?”

“You’re buying me three games. The list is already on your desk.”

“That so?” Akaashi hums. “But I hear you spent the night in one guy’s room and then had another walk you home and ask you out. Couldn’t have been too bad.” He purrs, taking a sip of Kenma’s Red Bull.

Kenma pauses his game and turns to glare at him. “I drank moonshine and, in my attempt, to find peace and quiet, I broke into some dude-bro’s room and passed out.”

“You slept in Kuroo-san’s bed. He lovingly informed us. Then what happened?” He rests his chin on his hand and hums.

Kenma fights back the urge to punch him in the throat. “Kuro wouldn’t let me go home alone. He made Hinata walk me home.”

“Ah. Hinata.” Keiji’s eyes sparkle. “And then he asked you out.”

Kenma snorts and un-pauses his game. “No. He asked me to come watch a volleyball tournament that I’d have to pay to see. Hard pass.”

“Oh good. You know about that already. We’re going.”

“What? No.” Kenma wrinkles his forehead.

“Yes.” Keiji’s eyes sparkle and he nudges Kenma with his shoulder. “Think about it. Hot sweaty shirtless guys.”

“And heat. And loudness. And more dude bros.” Kenma grumbles back. “It’s not worth it.”

“But you think Hinata’s cute, right?” Keiji quirks an eyebrow and takes another drink from Kenma’s Red Bull.

“Why in the world would you think that?”

“You let him hold your hand.”

“He wouldn’t let go.”

“Whatever you have to tell yourself at night.”

“I don’t have to tell myself anything except that somewhere deep, deep down that you’re a good person.” He huffs and un-pauses his game. “And I’m not going.”

“We’ll see about that.”

**. . .**

They wind up at the volleyball tournament.

Kenma’s not exactly sure how it happened. One minute him and Keiji were catching Pokémon, the next minute Keiji’s leading him into the gym. The good news is that Kenma caught another Hitmonlee to complete his collection that would forever sit unloved in his PC. The bad news was that Keiji wasn’t going to let him leave now that they were there. At least they didn’t have to pay to watch. One of the guys recognized them and let them in for free. Which was unnerving in itself since they’d been to one whole event and Kenma spent ninety percent of it hiding, but Kenma wasn’t going to question it. As long as he got to keep his phone and could buy an order of cheese fries, he’d make it through this. He’d make it through anything as long as he had a game. _Anything_.

At least, that’s what he’d thought. And, to be fair, he was rarely wrong when it came to his determination with video games. The court kept catching his attention in favor of his game screen. He kept telling himself that it was just a coincidence he kept looking to the court, but he still found himself looking more than he would’ve liked to.

Hinata hadn’t been joking when he said they’d be playing shirtless. Some of the players had even opted for shorts that could’ve been used for an underwear photo shoot. He also hadn’t been joking when he said the crowd would go wild for it. The noise was worse than the party and the damn gym echoed. It also didn’t help that there were several of what appeared to be fan favorites who the crowd cheered for every time they did _anything_. The worst was a pretty boy who kept smothering a shorter and angry looking boy every time they got a point. Kenma swore he could hear hearts, ovaries, and dicks explode every time they touched.

_Selling your soul out for a few dollars. Pathetic._

Then there was Kuroo who was actively flirting with the crowd and one of his opponents who was fairly muscular and pretending to disapprove. It was unfair how good he looked shirtless, but there was no way in hell Kenma was going to admit to that. Keiji’s favorite, Bokuto, was earning a lot of attention as well. He was stupid muscular and had this aura of sunshine radiating off him. He was, of course, loud as all hell, but even Kenma could tell that he was a good player. He preened anytime he could hype the crowd.

All the “pretty half-naked boys” aside, Kenma’s eyes were glued to one little orange puffball. Or bouncy ball, the way he ran and jumped around. It’s like his athletic abilities had been maxed out. Too bad for him, that meant his tactical skills were lacking. Basically, he was an idiot with the athletic ability of an Olympian. It was fascinating to watch. Kenma’s fingers stuttered on his game waiting to see if he’d accidentally get too caught up in watching the ball and knock himself unconscious or fly into the net. Unfortunately, Hinata was too damn loud for every player on the court to _not_ know where he was. He and Bokuto were quite a pair in the vocal department. It was awful.

“Something you find interesting, Kenma?” Akaashi muses, noticing Kenma’s hands had been idle for more than a few seconds. “Or _someone_?”

“I didn’t know it was possible, but your fuck buddy and that orange blurb are too loud for me to concentrate.”

“I’ve watched you play games through a train accident where we had to wait for people to come excavate part of the tracks. There is no way in hell you’re being distracted by some measly yelling.” Keiji teases with a soft smile. “What is it really? Are all the shirtless hotties distracting you? Are you finally hitting puberty?”

Kenma turns slowly to look Keiji fully in the eyes. “You know what? I can’t believe I bought my own cheese fries instead of making you buy them for me. What was I thinking? It must be all those brain cells I lost last weekend when you drug me to another one of these barbaric events.”

“Nice try to distract me.” His smile grows slightly. “You’re watching that orange puffball, though, aren’t you? It’s interesting that you’d take interest in someone like that.”

“I’m not interested in him. I just wish my characters could jump like him.” Kenma scoots down in his seat and un-pauses his game, signifying the conversation is over.

“So, I’m right. You are watching Hinata.” Keiji smirks before going back to eye fucking Bokuto.

Kenma’s seething in so much rage that he’s not even aware the game is over until a few sweaty bodies come to join them in the stands. One plops down far too close to him, one on the other side of Keiji, and two in front of them who turned around, so they’d be able to face everyone.

“Keeeeennnnnnmmmmaaaaa!” A squealing comes from the body on Kenma’s right, causing him to cringe and take damage. “Were you watching at all?” Hinata whines, sticking his lower lip out slightly and staring at Kenma with those huge memorizing eyes. Thankfully, they’d decided to put shirts on since the “show” was over.

“You can jump.” Kenma mutters, not looking anywhere except his game and definitely not savoring the smell of sweat and the body heat beside him.

_Wait. Was Keiji fucking right? God. I fucking hate him so much._

Kenma shakes his head slightly to himself and stabs Keiji in his imagination.

_Preposterous._

“That’s all you saw?” Hinata’s mouth gapes open and he whines. “I was awesome today! I was all like gwah and bam! I’m pretty amazing, right?”

_Conceited much? And are those even words?_

“I was waiting for you to run into the net.” Kenma mumbles it, fidgeting slightly.

Kuroo and Bokuto break out into an annoying cackle at that. They guy Kuroo is hanging over just smiles and shakes his head slowly. “You still have a long way to go, kid. We’re all just relieved that you didn’t get any receives to your head today.”

_He may not have, but Bokuto did get some with his chest. I could almost hear Keiji orgasm at those saves._

Hinata gives a scandalized gasp, his face heating up in embarrassment. “Daichi-san! I thought you were on my side!”

“No way! He’s always on my side!” Kuroo counters, pulling Daichi closer to him, who pinches his side with a fake scowl.

“Why would anyone be on your side?” Keiji quips before returning his attention to Bokuto. “You did wonderful today. I’d love to see you play again sometime.”

Kenma’s too busy doing a full-body eye-roll to even register whatever absurdly loud answer Bokuto gave. He just wanted to go home before he got conned into something else stupid. Something like spending the rest of the day with dude bros.

“We’re going to play Pokémon after we get showered, right?” Hinata gives Kenma the biggest smile, stars in his eyes, as both his legs shake in anticipation.

_Ugh. Something stupid like that._

“That’s a great idea.” Keiji oh-so-lovingly- interjects. “They just released a bunch of new Pokémon Kenma hasn’t been able to get yet. Plus, I think there’s an event later.”

_Your death will be slow and painful._

Kenma cuts him a death glare, but Keiji just smiles back sweetly. A little too sweetly. It almost makes Kenma want to forgive him. Almost.

“I have homework to do—”

Keiji clamps his hand over Kenma’s mouth, who immediately starts licking and trying to bite it. “We all have that dirty h word to do. But this is the weekend and therefore time to devote to ourselves and friends.”

_Says the one is who is done with all their homework for the next several weeks._

Bokuto gives a sharp excited inhale, his shoulders creeping up to his ears before he juts them down and almost pops out of his seat. “That makes _so_ much sense Akaashi!”

_Says the one who hasn’t turned in homework the entire semester. I bet he failed math._

Kenma pinches Keiji’s hand and pulls it away from his mouth. “Don’t make decisions for me.” He mutters and looks away from everyone.

“So we’re not going to play Pokémon? Can’t we? _Please_?” Hinata whines, both hands clasped together in prayer now.

Kenma chances a glace back at him. His eyes are still alight with all the pure youthful enthusiasm of a child. Something told Kenma it’d be sinful to reject his wishes. He gives a sigh.

_I hate myself._

**. . .**

Catching Pokémon with everyone was—. Well it wasn’t the worst experience Kenma had ever had. Pretty sure that was the frat party last weekend. Or when gym class was mandatory. Or all of high school. Existence, really.

The worst part about it was how loud Bokuto was. And Kuroo. Not him being loud, just him in general. Kenma wasn’t sure what it was, but something about the guy just rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe it was because he was just _too_ nice and it was weird with that resting smirk face.

Somewhere in there Shoyo had managed to snag Kenma’s number. And it wasn’t even Keiji who’d given it to him. Kenma’s still not sure how that happened. He blames being overwhelmed from being around too many loud people combined with the excitement of catching so many Pokémon. Yeah. That was it. Overstimulation. Not because he enjoyed listing to Shoyo talk endlessly about anything and everything like it was the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to him. And there’s no way in hell it was because Kenma found it adorable that Shoyo could eat so much food for someone even tinier than Kenma. It certainly wasn’t because Kenma’s heart fluttered every time Shoyo would shout his name and give that huge smile that radiated sunshine, sparkles, rainbows, and cheese.

Kenma was fucked. Oh, so very fucked.

**. . .**

“You seemed to have fun yesterday.” Keiji hums to Kenma.

Or at least that’s what Kenma thinks Keiji is saying as he slowly, and excruciatingly painfully, wakes up in his computer chair. Keiji had turned him away from the computer and was laying across the bed with his hand holding up his chin like the fucking devastatingly beautiful drama king he was instead of, you know, helping Kenma or putting in bed. His need to be an edge-lord overpowered his friend skills. Friend skills that Kenma was seriously starting to wonder if they existed.

Kenma gives a groan and curls up into himself more. “I’m going to have fun sleeping in my bed for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours too.” He mumbles, before staggering over to his bed.

“No can do, buckaroo.” Keiji purrs, not bothering to move despite Kenma approaching. “We’ve got plans tonight.”

“No. _We_. Don’t.” Kenma huffs before collapsing on top of Keiji a bit more forcefully than gravity necessitated.

Keiji gives an ungraceful grunt at Kenma’s weight being thrown at him. “Is that so? I thought you’d never miss an opportunity to go arcade hopping.” He pauses long enough for Kenma to lift his head to eye him wearily before giving a small smirk. “We can even go to the one with the bar.” He raises both his eyebrows. “Best of both worlds.” Kenma’s not entirely sure if the seductive purr in Keiji’s voice is intentional or if his brain automatically supplied it this time. Or if “arcade hopping” just sounded like that no matter who said it. It was just one of those sexy phrases like “free food”, “class is cancelled”, or “I have all this money I don’t need. Please take as much as you would like.”.

“Yeah. I wouldn’t say no if you weren’t plotting.” Kenma rolls his eyes and shakes his head against Keiji’s stomach. “Stop trying to hook me up.”

“I’m doing no such thing.”

Kenma lifts his head and gives an open mouth glare. “Really? You’re so smart and that’s your comeback? Being around all those frat boys _is_ killing your brain cells.”

“You know, you’re kind of being a real dick with this all-frat-boys-are-idiots-and-jerks thing. Why are you being so hateful and stubborn? You know you’ve enjoyed time with Hinata.” He pauses giving a huff. “You’re not usually judgmental at all.”

“Uuugh.” Kenma buries his head into the blanket. “That’s the problem! I don’t want to enjoy spending time with a frat boy. I don’t even really hate any of them.” He groans. “I feel like this is all some sort of dirty trick. Like in high school where the jocks faked nice and then made fun of you in front of the whole class or played some sort of insipid prank.”

Keiji frowns and presses his head against Kenma’s. He strokes Kenma’s back a few times and hums. “I’m sorry kids where mean to you before. But I promise Hinata’s not like that. Nor is Bokuto, Daichi, or even that pain-in-the-ass Kuroo.”

“What if you’re wrong?”

“Am I ever wrong?”

“Yes.”

“Ah. You lie to yourself too much.”

“Yeah. It’s how I survive.” Kenma gives a small giggle.

“Now,” Keiji bumps Kenma’s head with his lightly, “why don’t you take a nap so we can do your favorite thing in the world and go arcade hopping?”

“Sushi too?”

“Of course.”

“And you’re sure I’m not going to end up with a drink poured on my head or pantsed or abandoned or something?”

“Well~ I can’t guarantee that—”

Kenma’s head shoots up with a distressed frown covering his face.

“—but I’ll try my best not to humiliate you.” Akaashi ends with a smirk, quickly following up with a kiss on Kenma’s forehead.

Kenma gives a sigh. “You were doing such a good job at being nice. Why’d you have to ruin it?”

“Gotta save the pleasantries for tonight.” Keiji winks before standing up and smacking Kenma on the ass. “Now nap so we can party later!”

_How am I supposed to nap after that?_

**. . .**

By the time Kenma gets up, he’s starving and Keiji’s already picked an outfit for him. He’d somehow found a pair of dark jeans, some Chucks, and a plain black V-neck. It was nicer than Kenma preferred to dress—sweats were his go-to outfit—but at least he didn’t have to go through the trouble of finding clean pants. He thought he’d get out of the house like that, but before he could get away from the bathroom, Keiji cornered him with a brush and hair spray.

“Nooo.” Kenma groans. Keiji was never gentle when it came to hair.

Keiji gives a mischievous smile and takes a step forward. “You can play a game while I do it.”

“You’re not going to let me out without doing my hair are you?”

“Oh good.” His lips curl upward. “You understand where we both stand.” He gives a dark giggle before taking another step forward.

Kenma gives a big, pouty groan before defiantly hopping on the counter and turning to face the mirror. He whips his phone out before Keiji can even touch his hair.

No less than fifteen minutes later, they’re out the door. For once in his life, Kenma is leading Keiji. Part of it’s because his head hurts and he wants Keiji to have to work and suffer on some level, the other part is because he’s hungry. Not to mention there’ll be games. Kicking everyone’s ass at games would be more than enough to outweigh spending time with everyone.

They beat everyone else to the restaurant Keiji had picked. This only spikes Kenma’s unease further. Getting stood up wasn’t something he was unfamiliar with. Thinking about it happening again, even though this wasn’t a date, made him want to throw up. Apparently, Keiji’s good friend senses kick in. He wraps an arm around Kenma’s shoulder and pulls him in for a selfie.

“I don’t like pictures.” Kenma mumbles under his breath, looking away from the camera and trying to hide behind his hair.

“Even so,” Keiji hums, “this is a momentous moment and I need to document it accordingly.”

“ _How_?”

Keiji knocks his head against Kenma’s so he’ll look toward the camera for the picture. After he obliges and Keiji takes a selfie that meets his standards, he gives another grin. He’d been doing that a lot tonight. It had long past unnerving and had entered heebie jeebies territory.

“I’ll tell you at the end of tonight.”

“Let me at least have some booze before you start getting extra on me.”

“Sure, su—”

“Hey! Hey! Hey!”

Both Kenma and Keiji jump at the sudden loud yell coming toward them. While Kenma cringes when he sees Bokuto followed by Hinata and Kuroo, Keiji gives a warm smile and stands to greet Bokuto with a hug.

“Sorry we’re late,” Kuroo purrs, “these two have zero sense of direction.”

“”Hey!””

“It’s really a mystery considering GPS is on every cell phone.” He muses before sitting down.

Hinata’s face turns red and he looks like he’s about to throw a fit, but Kuroo just ignores him. Kenma can’t help but to give a small snort at them.

“Kenma!” Hinata shouts, all sunshine returning to his face. “You look really pretty today! I can’t wait to play some games with you!”

_Ahh. Where’s that drink?_

Kenma gets out a weak “thanks” while stoutly ignoring everyone at the table.

“I’ve never been arcade hopping before! It sounds like a lot of fun! Much better than bar hopping.” Hinata wrinkles his nose.

“Hey now,” Kuroo chides, “I met Daichi at a bar.”

“No you didn’t,” Keiji smoothly interjects before returning his attention to Bokuto.

Kenma wants desperately to ask where Daichi is, so they can order food, but he can’t bring himself to start a conversation.

“Daichi-san’s visiting his best friend from high school tonight, so he couldn’t make it.” Hinata supplies. “But you should definitely meet Suga one day. He’s funny.” He gives a big grin that makes his eyes close a little. “He’s a total mom, though! More than Kuroo-san!”

“Hey!” Kuroo grumble-shouts.

_You are the one who let my drunk ass sleep in your bed, gave me Gatorade and medicine, and then sent me home with an escort. You’re the biggest mom friend I’ve ever met. Maybe Keiji should spend more time with you. Or maybe that’s why he doesn’t like you? Is it jealousy?_

Kenma can only supply a hum. Thankfully, the waiter comes with the mixed drink he’d ordered earlier. Booze would help to loosen lips and help suppress that overwhelming social anxiety. Or it’d remind him of how the last time he’d drank he’d wound up passed out in Kuroo’s bed and then threw up so, so much. Either way, it’d take his mind off of how unbearably uncomfortable he was right now cause there was probably no way this could be worse than finding himself in Kuroo’s bed. Maybe he should tell Kuroo that. It’d let everyone know how low the bar was set for tonight.

He takes a sip of booze and eyes him but is soon distracted by Hinata. He’s got that adorable grin on his face and is talking excitedly to Akaashi and Bokuto. They’re watching him like doting parents; Akaashi’s got this small, soft smile on his face and Bokuto’s beaming as if he couldn’t be prouder.

_I always thought I’d be Keiji’s first child. I’m a little hurt._

Kenma grumbles to himself before taking another large drink. When he pulls his face away from his cup, he sees Kuroo giving him and Hinata the same adoring looking Bokuto and Akaashi had been giving Hinata. He grumbles again before finishing off his drink and ordering another.

**. . .**

By the time they leave the restaurant and go to the first arcade, which is the one with the bar, Kenma’s already had enough alcohol to show a side of himself that hardly anyone gets to see. He’s smiling freely and stumbling slightly. Hinata and Kuroo seem sort of worried and Bokuto’s hyping him up more, but Keiji’s just got a small smile that he’s covering with his hand.

Kenma shakes his head back and forth slightly, making a small dance as he plays a first-person shooter game with the fake gun. Every time there’s a break in enemies popping up, he points the gun over to Keiji and shoots at him or Kuroo. Everyone but Hinata, who’s struggling to be Kenma’s partner, notices but only giggles in response.

They, meaning mostly Kenma, clear the third stage with ease. Kenma does a little twirl of his hips and takes a sip of the Yaeger bomb he’d gotten while the cut scene plays. He can’t help the smile on his face. Arcade hopping was his favorite thing to do and they were only at the first one. He was going to plow these fuckers until sunrise.

“Kenma!” Hinata’s jumping up and down, his eyes all sparkles and admiration. “How are you _sooo_ good?”

Kenma gives a small shrug before picking the gun back up and taking the first kill of stage four. Bokuto and Kuroo make loud “OOOOOHHHH!”’s much to Hinata’s displeasure. Kenma just grins and shoots at them the next chance he gets to redeem his (terrible) gaming partner.

The best part about going gaming with Hinata is that he keeps dragging Kenma from one game to the next, so that they get to play every game in the place. The other best part is that Hinata doesn’t get mad at Kenma when he beats him every time. Usually people got upset or stopped having fun when they couldn’t win. Hinata didn’t. He just got more excited. He was Kenma’s best cheerleader, if anything.

The weird part about this whole outing was that the whole group seemed to be cheering for him. They all lost to him and were watching him be a little bit un-Kenma-like, but they all seemed to be having fun. No one had called him a freak or been grumbling about wanting to leave.

Kenma was having _fun_. The people he was with _liked_ him. He _liked_ them. The boy beside him was _cute_. He was hanging out with the people who would’ve bullied him in middle and high school, and he was _enjoying_ it. Life was strange.

He wins another round against Hinata. He doesn’t even remember what they were playing at this point, but he still won. He gives the victory sign with an unreserved smile before slinking away to go sit down. Thankfully, Keiji brings him a bottled water to drink.

“Kenma! Have you been holding back on me all night?” Hinata whines, bouncing on his toes lightly. “You just keep getting better and better!”

Kenma gives a little giggle. “You just suck.” He looks at everyone else in the group. “You all suck.” He gives another giggle and wipes the sweat off his face with his shirt. Apparently, his self-control had left with the last few drinks he’d had. Before he can finish wiping his face, his brain catches up with what he’d just said. Sure, he was having fun with a bunch of strangers that he thought liked him, but that didn’t mean anything. He had just been way too rude to two Senpai’s. Keiji and Hinata didn’t really count.

He doesn’t have to wait to pull his shirt down. Kuroo makes that loud, annoying cackle of his, Bokuto and Hinata are challenging him to another game, and Keiji is steady laughing at them all.

Another grin slips onto Kenma’s face. “I’ll play you all three-on-one on any game and still win.” He shakes his head before getting up and stumbling to the bathroom.

He’s busy running cold water over his hands and face to help cool down when Keiji follows him in. He’s got that soft, knowing smile on his face still. He’d been quiet all night, and not his usual edge-lord-self, but even Kenma could tell that he was having fun.

“You’re not going to win the next game.” Keiji purrs. “They’re putting their brains together and are determined to come up with something you can’t win.”

Kenma gives a snort back. “Good fucking luck.”

Keiji gives a small laugh before coming up behind Kenma and hugging him from behind. He rocks them both side to side lightly while looking at Kenma in the mirror.

“What are you doing?”

Keiji gives a hum. “Celebrating my victory.”

Kenma furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

The bathroom door slams open and Hinata slides in. “Kenma!” The huge smile on his face dissipates slightly when he notices Keiji still hugging Kenma, but he pushes the corners of his mouth back up. “We’ve figured out what game we’re going to beat you at!”

“Is it one of those sports ball ones?”

Hinata cocks his head to the side slightly. “What?”

Both Kenma and Keiji giggle and break apart from each other.

“Nothing. Let’s see what bright idea you came up with.”

When they get to the game, Kenma shoots Keiji an annoyed look. “This was your idea.”

Keiji puts his hands and eyebrows up in innocence and amusement. “I had no part in this. I was with you, remember?”

“That’s right!” Bokuto slaps Hinata on the back. “This was a group decision!”

Kuroo is snickering behind them and Kenma knows for sure that this was _not_ a group decision. He really needed to avoid Kuroo. He was too observant.

Kenma bristles as he feels Keiji lean in to whisper in his ear. He catches a small pout on Hinata’s face before he adverts his eyes.

“We all just want to see how sexy you are when you dance.”

Kenma elbows Keiji in the stomach. No one was here to see that. They just wanted to win. Too bad for this group of frat boys, brains were still the most important part of games. “Fine. I’ll beat you all at DDR. Then you have to admit I’m the best at games.” He scoffs before stepping up to the platform and tying up his hair. He was on a mission to win and it was hot. His shyness could be put on hold until he won this competition.

“Best out of four?” Kuroo asks, searching for the first song. “Everyone can pick a song so even when Bo loses all four, he still gets to listen to one song he likes?”

“Hey!”

“Keiji, you’re not going to play?” Kenma frowns, leaning on the bar to look at him. “You’re the sexiest dancer.” He only has time to cringe before there’s cat-calls coming from beside him.

Keiji giggles and pulls out his phone. “If I do that, who else is sober enough to record this disaster?”

“Wh—”

“Okay! Here we go!” Kuroo shouts as he starts the song he picked.

Kenma has a pout on his face the entire first song. Anytime he has to turn toward Keiji, he makes sure to give him the finger. Not to mention, it’s getting even hotter and people are starting to stand around and watch. Though, Kenma wasn’t sure if it was because he was doing so _good_ or because everyone else was doing so _bad_. For athletes, they weren’t very good at this. He would’ve thought they’d be more coordinated. Part of him thought they were going easy on him because he’s clearly not the type to move very much, but he caught glimpses of determined faces that told him otherwise.

Needless to say, Kenma creamed them the first round. Bokuto picked the next song. It was weird, but easy enough. Hinata picked something super-fast paced. Kenma’s still winning and everyone’s out of breath from the last song, so Kenma picks one of the slowest songs on the entire game.

Everyone does worse on it than the rest.

“Hooowww?” Bokuto whines, on his knees, upset over being in last place. “The slowest one was the hardest?”

Kenma’s too busy huffing for air and trying to wipe off sweat to answer.

“Bro. Cause baby crow picked a super-fast song before. You got caught up in the inertia.”

“The what?” He whines back.

“Yeah, the what?” chimes in Hinata, who’d been in third.

“ _Inertia_. When things don’t stop or change. They just keep going.”

“Ooohh! Like the professor droning on?”

Kenma lets out a loud snort.

_Dumbasses_.

Keiji gives Kenma a small nudge. “Don’t be like that. Bokuto’s first language isn’t Japanese. He asks what larger words are constantly, but he retains them after he learns them.”

Kenma’s eyes widen and he looks over at Keiji and then back to Bokuto. “No way. His Japanese is perfect.”

“It’s true. His first language is Korean.” He gives a small grin. “Your darling Hinata, on the other hand, is a dumbass.” He covers his mouth before letting out a small laugh.

“Hey! Akaashi-senpai!” Hinata whines.

Keiji ruffles Hinata’s sweaty hair. “I’m just kidding. School isn’t your strength. Sports and social interaction are. They’re just different types of intelligence.”

Hinata bounces from one foot to the other in excitement. “Thank you Akaashi-senpai!”

“You’re welcome.” Keiji turns to look at Kenma, who’s finally caught his breath. “On to the next one?”

He gives one nod. “On to the next one.”

Cheers ensue.

**. . .**

Kenma doesn’t know the last time his head hurt this bad and he hadn’t even opened his eyes yet. Not even the moonshine he’d had at the frat house combined with being at a frat house hurt his head this much. But, then again, that’s what happened when you started mixing energy drinks with booze and then stayed up all night playing games when he was already sleep deprived. He was pretty sure he’d expended a lifetime of energy and socializing on top of that.

He finds himself smiling and snuggling more into the covers. Last night was great. Good food, good drinks, games, and people he didn’t absolutely hate. No one made fun of him either. He reluctantly opens his eyes. Last night was a little _too_ good. His brain wasn’t supplying all the information. He was one for facts, not nostalgia.

For reasons unknown, he’s sleeping on the couch. He’s got a blanket, but he’s missing his shirt. He feels sweaty and gross. On the floor, the spare futon is out and Hinata is sprawled out on top of it. His mouth is open and he’s snoring, his shirt is mostly un-buttoned, and he’s lost his bowtie, but at least he’s still wearing clothes.

Kenma rubs his eyes and looks around. He doesn’t see anyone, but by the sound of it, Bokuto was asleep in Keiji’s room. Kenma’s own door was closed, which meant Keiji, or worse, Kuroo, were asleep in there. Statistically speaking, it was definitely Kuroo. There was no reason for Keiji to be in his bed. He’d roll Bokuto out of his room before giving his bed up.

_What happened last night?_

He groans before stumbling to the kitchen for a glass of water and, hopefully, some painkillers.

_Where is my shirt? This is my house, right?_

He scans the living room but sees no sight of it. He’s about to go into his room but he hears Hinata shuffling around and waking up.

Hinata groans a bit and rubs his eyes before fully seeing Kenma. “’morning.” He gives a big yawn. “Akaashi-senpai said you’d be up last.” He shifts slightly showing some of his chest.

Kenma tries to hide his face behind his hair. “My head hurts too bad to sleep.” He stands for a second awkwardly. “I also don’t have a shirt.”

Hinata gives a yawn and stretches. “You can have mine.” He starts to finish unbuttoning it. “You were too tired to shower last night and Kuroo-senpai stole your bed, so you kinda just said fuck shirts.” He gives a shrug and holds his shirt out toward Kenma. “You passed out before you could say fuck the rest of your clothing, though.”

Kenma closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose.

_Why am I like this? What did I ever do to you, drunk Kenma?_

He waves Hinata’s shirt offer away and opens the door to his room instead. Sure enough, Kuroo is in his bed. Thankfully, he’s clothed, but he’s also got Kenma’s pillows scrunched up against his head.

“The fuck?” Kenma whispers before rummaging through his dresser for something comfy.

“You stole my bed last time there was drinking, so I stole yours this time.”

Kenma turns around confused, to find Kuroo peeking out at him from the pillows looking pathetic.

“At least I think that was my logic last night.” He closes his eyes tiredly. “They wouldn’t let me go home. Daichi is going to be so pissed.” He gives a groan.

Kenma gives a snicker at his misery.

Kuroo’s eyes snap back open. “Why are you grabbing clothes? You’re not unattractive. I’m sure Shoyo likes you undressed.”

Kenma cuts him a flat look. “Get out of my bed.”

Kuroo glares at him. “No.” He covers his head with the pillows again. “And you know I’m not wrong. Little shorty’s been flirting with you since day one.”

_Still drunk._

“Don’t throw up in my bed.” Kenma mutters before throwing a shirt on and walking back out.

Hinata’s still sitting there on the futon looking lost. He’d managed to put his arms back in the shirt sleeves, but he hadn’t bothered buttoning it up or even attempting to close it.

_Also still drunk._

Kenma makes his way back to the couch and faceplants back into it. He’s comfortable and content, but he hasn’t heard Hinata move, so fear motivates him to check on him. He shifts so he can turn his head to see. Hinata’s still just sitting there, eyes fluttering open and closed, swaying to the effects of booze and gravity.

“Are you going to be okay?”

Hinata jumps at the sound and turns to Kenma with a grin on his face. “I was sleeping.” He gives a small chuckle.

_Okay, weirdo._

Kenma hums back before pointing at the bathroom door. “The bathroom’s there. If you puke, you’re cleaning it up.”

Sunshine starts radiating off Hinata and Kenma cringes from the volume before he even starts speaking. “Don’t worry! I only throw up when I’m anxious! The only one you really have to worry about throwing up is Kuroo-san.”

_Great. The one in my bed. The one I specifically told to not throw up in my bed._

Kenma hums and laments for a moment. “And Keiji. Not because he can’t handle his liquor, but because he drinks to die.”

Hinata’s face falls and a horror overtakes him. Kenma fears it’s because he’s about to vomit, but instead he asks in a hushed voice, “Is he okay? Do we, like, need to do an intervention?”

Kenma furrows his eyebrows in confusion for a second before bursting out in a full unrestricted laugh. “Did? Did you just--?” Kenma manages to get out through chuckles. “It was a joke.” He huffs before wiping the tears from his eyes.

Hinata’s silent as he watches him, mouth slightly agape with the corners of his lips turned up. He looks a little dead since it’s been a rough night, but something about him was still adorable enough for Kenma to not mind waking up to. And, hell, his expectations were high since he had to wake up to Keiji’s blinding beauty every day.

“Oh.” Hinata sheepishly blushes before laying back down on the futon facing Kenma.

Kenma gets out a few more half-drunken giggles. “I’m going back to bed Hinata. My head is killing me.” He mumbles before shifting around in the couch and facing away from him.

He gets a solemn reply. “You called me Shoyu last night.”

Kenma feels his whole body tense. He was going to have a talk with his drunk self. This was getting out of hand. Maybe he was the one needing an intervention.

_It’s not that big of a deal. I’m casual with everyone. I call everyone by their given names. Everyone calls me by mine._

He’s in the middle of trying to shrug it off when he decides he can’t and turns back toward Hinata. “I did?”

Hinata’s eyes widen and he bites his bottom lip before nodding.

_Shit. I’m in too deep._

“Good night then, Shoyu.” Kenma mutters into the pillow, adamant on not moving again until everyone left.

“Night, Kenma.” Shoyu gives a yawn and groans as he stretches. A few seconds later Kenma hears him shuffle around on the futon and pass out.

**. . .**

“Kenma. Kenma.”

Kenma furrows his eyebrows as he feels someone shaking him and speaking. Somewhere in his mind it triggers that it can’t be Keiji because it’s a soft and considerate wake-up call. He gives a groan and moves his head away from the sound.

“Keeeennnmmaaaa~” The sound that Kenma now realizes is Shoyu, sings to him. “Wake up. Akaashi made breakfast for us.”

Kenma props himself up with both hands in a terror. He jumps off the couch and runs to the kitchen, sliding across the floor in his hurry. Bokuto and Kuroo are there sitting down to eat breakfast. “Don’t eat _anything_ Keiji made!”

The both stare at him with wide eyes and mouths open. A snicker comes from behind Kenma. He turns to see Keiji standing there with his back against a wall, arms crossed, while he sips coffee.

“You didn’t actually cook, right?” Kenma asks nervously. The last time he ate Keiji’s cooking vividly flashes through his memory, causing his stomach to tense.

Keiji gives another giggle and sips his coffee.

_This fucking edge-lord._

“I made it!” Bokuto chimes, entirely too loudly.

Kenma turns and squints at him. “That’s only slightly more promising.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He gives a big grin. “But I don’t see what the big deal is. I’ve eaten Keiji’s cooking before and it was good!”

Kenma clutches his stomach and staggers a bit. Shoyu grabs one of his hands and shoulder to help steady him. Kenma stares at the floor, lost. “He’s not human. He’s not human.”

Shoyu giggles and squeezes Kenma’s hand. “What’s wrong with Akaashi-san’s cooking? It was yummy!”

Kenma’s head jerks up to stare at Shoyu. He takes a step back before looking to Kuroo of all people for help.

“They’ll eat anything, and they have iron stomachs.” He replies flatly. “I’m not convinced they’re human either. I don’t know how they have so much energy.”

Kenma gives a small snort. “I think it’s solar. Shoyu is so bright and loud, he _is_ like the sun.”

“You think I’m bright?”

“Absolutely sparkling.” Kenma mutters, hiding his face again now that the danger of Keiji’s cooking killing someone was over.

Shoyu lets out a disappointed “Awwww”.

Keiji snorts before sitting down at the table next to Bokuto. “He thought you mean smart.”

Shoyu puckers his lips together in a pout. “I’ve never been called smart before. I was excited!”

Kenma gives a quiet laugh before mumbling, “Maybe you are. Just not traditionally.”.

Kuroo breaks out into a god-awful laugh. He starts to speak but covers his mouth before any words actually come out.

“Thanks, Kenma!” Shoyu beams.

**. . .**

Thankfully, everyone leaves after breakfast. Not that Kenma was having an awful time, but he was still dreadfully hung over. Plus, his socializing stamina was depleted for the next three months. He’s working on drifting back off to sleep when Keiji flops into the bed with him.

“Don’t do that.” He grumbles, moving over to make room. “I might throw up.”

“It’s okay. I’m sure you’re going to burn these sheets anyway.”

“It’s a consideration.” Kenma grumbles, grateful they don’t smell like Kuroo. “But not until after I sleep and don’t feel like death.”

“One thing before you do,” Keiji purrs, making dread flow through Kenma. “You had fun last night, right?”

Kenma stills, trying to remember last night better. “Yeah.” He turns to look at Keiji. “Why?” He asks suspiciously.

“And you like Shoyu?”

Kenma doesn’t answer. He just stares at Keiji’s face while questioning his life choices.

A small smirk slid across Keiji’s face. “Are you glad you went to the frat party?”

Kenma gives a sigh. He’d _hated_ the frat party. The result though, not so much. He _liked_ Shoyu and he might even make friends with Bokuto and Kuroo. Maybe.

When he takes too long to answer, a real smile grows on Keiji’s face. “Ah. I thought so. The world is ending at last.”

**. . .**

Shoyu texts Kenma later that night. Apparently somewhere in Kenma’s drunken stupor he’d forgotten they’d traded contact information after the volleyball game. Yet, Shoyu’s name was proudly attached to messages, complete with several sun emoji’s after his name. He can’t even find it in himself to be mad. Not really. It needed to happen eventually since. Kenma. _Maybe_. Wanted. To spend time with him.

_Ugh. Emotions are hard._

The good part about Shoyu is that Kenma didn’t have to text much. As long as he sent the occasional message back Shoyu would just keep going. He didn’t seem to mind that Kenma didn’t contribute much to the conversation, which Kenma was eternally grateful for. Conversing took effort that Kenma just didn’t come equipped with.

He’s not sure if he’s grateful or not that Shoyu asked him to go out with him next weekend, though.

They were going to go to dinner and a movie, which was nerve wracking on its own, but more so when he realized that it was just going to be the two of them. Alone. On a date. Kenma was going on a date with a frat boy.

The world really was ending.

“Keiji!” He shouts out, leaving his bedroom and walking over to Keiji’s.

He sits up in bed, blearily looks over at Kenma, and nudges the lump in bed beside him. It doesn’t click until then that Keiji was shirtless for a reason and the other object in bed was probably Bokuto.

“Hey,” Keiji whispers, “make some room. Kenma’s going to join us.”

“I—” Kenma hesitates, taking a step backward.

Bokuto gives a groan and makes space as requested.

Keiji pats the empty space between them. “Don’t worry. We have clothes on.”

_That. That is a good thing to know. Not entirely the issue here, though._

Kenma wrinkles his nose before jumping into bed between them and clinging to Keiji. Bokuto turns in bed, causing Kenma to tense up. He doesn’t say anything or move otherwise, so Kenma slowly lets his guard drop.

“Is something wrong?” Keiji quietly asks, eyes closed and stoking Kenma’s hair.

“Uhh.” Kenma shifts his head slightly, darting his eyes toward Bokuto.

Keiji reaches out and strokes Bokuto’s cheek. “Koutarou?”

“Yes, babe?”

Kenma cringes at the pet name.

“You’ll keep Kenma’s secrets for him, right?”

“Of course,” he hums.

_Yeah. Cause that’s believable._

Kenma rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “I need a favor.”

“Of course we’ll help you hide the body. I’ll do it for free if it’s Kuroo-san.”

“Hey.” Bokuto grumbles. “Don’t kill my best bro.”

_Ugh. Best bro._

“It’s not that.” Kenma squeezes Keiji tighter. “I have a date this weekend. Will you help me get ready?”

Bokuto jolts to full awareness behind him. “A date with who?” He asks a little too loud.

Kenma cringes and shrinks into Keiji. “Shoyu,” he barely whispers.

“That’s awesome!” Two muscular arms wrap around Kenma’s waist and a head nuzzles his back. “You don’t have to worry about what you look like though. You’re adorable no matter what!”

Kenma feels a blush spread across his face.

“You don’t even have to ask me,” Keiji purrs back, hugging him tighter. “And you _are_ adorable.”

With his request made, Kenma’s ready to bolt, but neither of them are letting him go. “Uh. Guys?”

“Nope.” Keiji answers, making sure to pop the ‘p’. “You’re ours now.”

“Yeah.” Bokuto sleepily chimes in. “Please don’t stab me.”

**. . .**

Kenma’s ready to pass out or puke. He doesn’t really care which, but one of them needs to happen soon so he won’t have to go on this date.

_This is stupid. Why’d I agree to this? I don’t like dating. I don’t even like going out of the house._

He’s ready to bolt, but Keiji is there watching him intently. He keeps switching between observing Kenma and sending texts with a dopey smile on his face.

“You have your phone on you?”

Kenma shoots Keiji a confused look. Why would he not have his phone on him? He’d go without clothes before not having his phone.

“Keys? Wallet?” He raises an eyebrow, smirk playing on his lips. “Condoms?”

The brief thought of being arrested for assaulting Keiji crosses Kenma’s mind before he’s on top of him, half-heartedly trying to smother him with a pillow.

“If you don’t have any,” Keiji manages to get out between fits of laughter, “I have an assorted supply in my room. Lube too.”

“You mean the sex with Bokuto isn’t good enough for you to have used them all yet?” Kenma bites back.

Keiji catches the pillow and pulls it down so he can look at Kenma’s face. “We’re going to work on that tonight.”

“Ugh. There’s some things I really don’t need to kn—”

He’s interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Terrified, he looks back down at Keiji, who’s smirking.

“You planned this.”

He gives a smile back and pushes Kenma off him before going to answer the door.

“Keiji!” Bokuto shouts, wrapping him in a hug.

“Hi, Akaashi-senpai!” Shoyu chimes behind him.

Kenma closes his eyes in realization. Bokuto had been updating Keiji where they were and Keiji was making sure Kenma was distracted. Or wasn’t going to run. Mostly the running part, for sure.

He takes a deep breath and tunes out any words that are happening as he makes his way to the entryway. Keiji and Bokuto are still embracing, looking into each other eyes lovingly. It was disgusting but also made Kenma incredibly happy. At least Bokuto seemed to like Keiji for something other than his looks. Shoyu’s there watching them with a warm smile on his face but is shifting around incessantly. The instant he catches Kenma in his peripheral’s he turns toward him, face lighting up.

“Kenma! You look so pretty!” He gasps.

Keiji and Bokuto give each other a hi-five.

_Ugh. Stop making a good couple. I hate it._

“Hi, Shoyu.” Kenma mutters back, diligently hiding his face with his hair.

Keiji and Bokuto move out of the way as he sits to put on his shoes. Shoyu bounces on his feet, rearing to go or unable to ever stop moving. By the time he has his shoes on, Keiji and Bokuto are behind them watching with weird smile and an arm wrapped around each other’s waist.

“Have fun~” Keiji purrs.

“Yeah. Let us know if you need anything!” Bokuto adds enthusiastically.

Kenma shoots them a disgusted look back.

_Are you my parents? And how would you even know if we need anything? You’ll probably be too busy fucking each other’s brains out to know if either of us texted you._

**. . .**

As soon as they’re out on the street Shoyu grabs Kenma’s hand and interlaces their fingers. Kenma jumps slightly and eyes him through his hair. He wasn’t entirely opposed to it, just, Shoyu always surprised him. He was interesting.

_Maybe that’s why I like him? Wait. I like him? We’re admitting that now?_

“So I was gonna pick a fancy restaurant, but then I realized that I don’t know what you like to eat.” He looks over at Kenma with that stupidly bright smile. “Aside from sushi and cheese fries, of course. Did you have any other preferences?”

_Oh god. You want me to make a decision? Wasn’t it enough to say yes? I wasn’t prepared for this. I thought showing up and looking pretty was all I needed to do. This isn’t the type of game I enjoy._

“Nn. I don’t really eat a lot.”

_I’m too anxious to eat. Gonna throw up. Pretty boys don’t throw up._

“Whaaaa? I love food!” Shoyu gapes. “We can go watch the movie first?”

The thought of salty and buttery popcorn makes Kenma’s stomach lurch.

_Pretty boys don’t throw up. Pretty boys don’t throw up. Pretty boys don’t throw up. Except Keiji and he’s pretty enough to get away with it. People would pay to hold his hair back while he throws up._

“Sure.”

Much to Shoyu’s typical personality, he chatters the whole time they walk to the theater. He uses his hand to talk and he unconsciously and accidentally jerks Kenma’s hands up as well in his excitement. Kenma can’t say he really minds. He just hides a small smile behind his hair and offers quiet replies.

_It’s nice not having to put forth the initiative. Not that I would anyway. But there’s no pressure to with Shoyu. Less guilt that I’m not sociable._

The movie Shoyu picks sucks. Utterly and irrevocably sucks. Kenma’s not even sure how it made it to theater. It was something that should’ve been a direct to daytime programming. It was bad. So bad. But Shoyu seemed to enjoy it. Every time he got excited, he’d squeeze Kenma’s hand (which he still hadn’t let go of) or make his “gwah” or “fwah” sounds.

By the end of it, Kenma was regretting this date. They had nothing in common. He’d been right. Hinata was an idiot. He didn’t even think being a frat boy had anything to do with it at this point. Which was disturbing in its own right, but somewhat a comfort.

_Why the hell did I let Keiji talk me into this? I know how he is. He loves to watch people suffer. I should’ve known better. After that I almost feel like Bokuto has more sense. Almost. Wait. He must. Otherwise Keiji would’ve kicked him to the curb already. Ahhh. I should’ve known better._

Before breaking out into a Beatles song, Kenma shakes his head minutely.

_Be nice. Don’t be like Keiji._

As they walk out of the theater, Hinata keeps making glances at Kenma. Kenma can tell he thinks he’s being sneaky, but he’s flat out obvious.

_He’s probably never kept a secret in his life._

Kenma gives a small smile at that.

_That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though._

“That movie wasn’t very good, was it?” He laughs awkwardly. “I’m told I don’t have the best taste in movies, but I can’t help it. They’re just so fun.”

“What’s fun about watching something terrible?”

Kenma freezes. He didn’t mean to let that slip out.

_Shit. Shit shit shit. Shit._

Hinata gives an unrestricted laugh. “They’re interesting! You don’t know what’s coming or they’re unconventional in some way. And,” he gives a guilty grimace, “some of the acting is too bad not to laugh at.”

Kenma breathes a sigh of relief. He hadn’t expected such an… an easy-going answer. Part of him expected to be yelled at or at least berated. He didn’t even get a side look from Hinata or a reflexive irritated squeeze on his hand.

_Weird logic, but okay._

Kenma gives a noncommittal hum.

“You don’t enjoy the occasional bad game every now and then?”

“Only by popular request.” Kenma flinches again.

Hinata tilts his head. “What do you mean by popular request?”

“I—. I do live streams of games. Sometimes.”

“What? That’s amazing! What’s your username? I want to watch some.”

_I really rather you not. Like really, really rather you not. I don’t like it when people shit on the things I love. People on the internet are mean enough already. I can’t handle someone saying mean things to my face._

“Uh. I’ll text it to you later.”

_And by later, I mean never._

“Awesome!” He does a fist pump much like Kenma had seen Bokuto do before. “I can’t wait!” His smile is all sunshine and stars and excitement. The same way he always was. “Do you wanna eat now or do you wanna do something else?”

“Uhh” Kenma trails off.

_I’m not good at decisions. Even though he asked earlier, I’m still not prepared for the hardest question I face on a constant basis. Is Red Bull considered a food?_

“There’s a sushi place that has the best ramen I’ve ever had!”

Kenma furrows his eyebrows. How could it be better than the thousands of places that specialize in only ramen? Places that have spent years, if not decades, perfecting their recipe?

_Sounds fake._

Seeing Kenma’s face, Hinata quickly continues, “I know it sounds weird, but it’s really good! I promise you’ll like it!”

_Aren’t promises meant to be broken?_

“Trust me a little.” Hinata smiles warmly. “I may not have a good sense for movies, but I have great taste for food. Eating’s one of my favorite things.” He gives a cheesy grin. “Aside from volleyball, of course.”

Kenma hums and nods slightly. “Okay.”

“Yes!” Hinata jumps into the air in excitement. Kenma’s eyes widen as he jumps Kenma’s full height.

“Holy shit.” He murmurs.

_It really is like a double jump._

“Hm?” Hinata raises his eyebrows in confusion.

“Just wishing some of my video game characters could jump as high as you.”

Hinata breaks out into a loud laugh and jumps Kenma’s height again. “I’m sure you beat everything without good jumping though!”

_Damn right I do. I beat every game I play and complete all the side quests and max everything out._

“It’d be easier. I like a challenge, though.”

“Oooh?” Hinata smirks. “Do you ever do live tournaments?”

_I don’t want to admit this to you._

“On occasion.”

_And I win them._

“Really? You like them?”

_Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn’t put forth the effort._

Kenma gives an unsteady sigh. “I like the thrill of all-or-nothing stakes. Only win or lose. No redo. No restarts. No return to last save point.”

“Yes! That is exactly how I feel about volleyball! I love the challenge and feeling the stakes!”

Kenma gives a small smile behind his hair.

_Goofball._

“Oh! We’re here!” Hinata points to the restaurant he’d been talking about. It was a bit more packed than Kenma had preferred. Perhaps sensing this, he continues, “we can check in through an app so we won’t have to wait in the crowd. There’s a game store right down the block we can play at while we wait. They have lots of cool merch!”

Kenma’s eyes light up at that. He loved buying nerd things. He effectively had a shrine for game and related memorabilia with all his favorite games at the center of it. It wasn’t wasting money if it was part of a shrine, right? It was holy then.

Walking into the store was a mistake for Kenma’s wallet. Not only did he find older games that he hadn’t seen around in a while, but there was a new release that he’d somehow forgotten, probably due to his panic-induced week. That wasn’t even the expensive part though. In the back he found a figurine of Jibril from No Game, No Life. Even though it wasn’t a game, he still loved No Game, No Life. Part of him wished he could live on Disboard.

Kenma stares at the Jibril figurine in the case. Unconsciously, he feels a little drool slipping out of the corner of his mouth. It was a figurine that wasn’t _technically_ licensed in Japan. It definitely shouldn’t be in this store, if anything. She was in mid-battle with a scythe during the Great War. It was like looking at imported, uncensored porn. Or something.

_I won’t see this again._

Kenma fumbles for his wallet, checking to see if he had his credit card on him.

_I’m not sure how I’ll pay her off, but I want her. I need her. I can’t breathe without her._

Finding his credit card, Kenma gives a cruel smile much like Jibril.

_Today is a good day._

He jumps when he notices Shoyu looking at him skeptically. He hides his face behind his hair.

_Maybe that was a bit too much nerding out in front of other people. Gotta contain it. Conceal._

“You look excited. Is she from a game?” Shoyu cocks his head to the side.

“No.” Kenma mutters, turning around to head to the counter to request the figure. “A light novel and an anime. Now a manga too.”

_And a movie. And a side light novel. And, maybe one day, a second season of the anime._

“Really? We should watch it!”

Instead of answering, Kenma quietly tells the clerk he would like to buy the figurine.

“You don’t want to?”

Kenma gives a small grimace. “It’s only one season and a movie.”

_I can’t believe you haven’t seen it. Everyone has seen it?_

“Great! That means we could binge watch it!”

Kenma doesn’t answer.

“You know, we could get food to go and go back to your place and watch it!”

Kenma cringes.

_I’m 10000% certain Keiji and Bokuto are fucking all over the apartment right now. It’s not safe there. I’m not sure I even ever want to go back there._

“Maybe Bokuto-san and Akaashi-san would want to watch it with us?” Shoyu pulls out his phone quickly and starts tapping away. “I’m gonna text Bokuto-san!”

_That is a horrible idea. I’d say your worst one yet, but I’m not convinced that would be true._

Kenma quietly pays for his loot while Shoyu continues to text. As soon as he’s finished, Kenma feels his phone start to vibrate. He gives a groan, already knowing it was his other parent. He pulls his phone out and quietly walks out of the store for privacy.

“Hello?” He mumbles.

“Is everything okay? Why is Hinata asking if you two can come back? Why would you two want to do a anime marathon with us? Shouldn’t you be on a date? You’re supposed to be being wined and dined and experiencing romance for the first time in your life!”

“I have no clue what’s happening.”

Akaashi doesn’t say anything for a good thirty seconds. Kenma can feel him pursing his lips, though. Kenma could just imagine the pissed off mom look Keiji was giving.

“Do you want him to come back with you? We can make up some sort of excuse. You and I can have an anime night together instead. Or a game night. Or a cry and cuddle in bed night. Whatever you need.”

“What about Bokuto-san?”

“I can send him home.”

Kenma’s the one to frown now. Even though he couldn’t, for the life of him, understand why Akaashi was so fond of Bokuto, he was. Kenma didn’t want to get in the way of that.

“I don’t mind. He and I have a date tomorrow anyway.” Akaashi adds, no doubt reading Kenma’s mind. “Not that he’d ever be opposed to an anime or game night if invited.”

When Kenma still doesn’t answer, Akaashi gives a sigh.

“Why don’t you two head on back? When you get here, if you still haven’t decided, we can start anime night. If you want one or both of them to leave, just give me the word and I’ll cast them out mercilessly as if they’ve been banished from Heaven. I’ll order pizza when we get off the phone.”

“Ramen.” Kenma manages to get out. “We were going to go eat at a sushi place that apparently has amazing ramen. We’ll bring that and some sushi back.”

Akaashi gives a satisfied hum. “You know what I like.” He purrs before hanging up.

_Edgelord._

Kenma rolls his eyes and pockets his phone. Shoyu was about four meters away trying to give him space his phone call. Seeing that he was done, he quickly skipped over to Kenma.

“Everything okay?”

“Y-yeah. Keiji wants ramen.”

“Oh good! Our table is ready. We can just change our seat to a to-go order instead.”

Kenma nods as his stomach churns. Something about this whole thing was wrong.

**. . .**

Kenma manages to make it back to his apartment intact and with food. It was all a bit of a blur, but it happened. He was met with Keiji giving a forced smile at the door.

“Hello, you two kids.” He sweetly greets. “Glad to see you’re back safe and sound.”

Behind him, Bokuto gives an awkward smile. Keiji had, no doubt, been interrogating him about Shoyu after the phone call.

“Hi guys!” Shoyu chimes back with a grin. “We’ve got the food!”

“Woot!” Bokuto cheers before helping Shoyu with gathering bowls and plates.

Kenma quietly slips away to his room. Not so much for silence, but to put his new treasure on display. Of course, Keiji follows him.

“Am I asking them to leave?” Keiji murmurs after closing the door.

Kenma doesn’t reply. He just focuses on opening the box. Once he’s freed Jibril of her cage, he gives a grin.

_I love her so much._

Ignoring the happy tears forming in his eyes, he places Jibril on the shelf beside his copies of the books and anime.

_Perfect._

“Kennmmaa,” Akaashi whines. “You’re ignoring me.”

“I’m pretty sure your self-esteem can take it.” Kenma smirks, not bothering to hide it from Keiji.

“Oh good.” Akaashi crosses his arms. “It seems like you’re fine then. Let’s go eat.”

Kenma gives a panicked look at that.

_Is it fine? I was so focused on my nerd stuff I forgot about the actual impending doom in the living room._

“Let’s eat and watch an episode.” Keiji continues, now wrapping his arms around Kenma. “It’ll be low stress since we’ll all be busy. It’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

Kenma nuzzles his head against Keiji. “Thanks, mom.”

Back in the main room, Bokuto and Shoyu have already gotten everything set up.

“Thank you, darling.” Keiji gives Bokuto a kiss on the cheek and sits down closely beside him. Bokuto gives a blush and Eskimo kiss back but doesn’t say anything else. “Alright,” he reaches for the controller, “let’s get this adventure started. I hope you two are okay with little girl panties.”

“Huh?”

“Wha?”

Akaashi ignores the baffles sounds and presses play anyway.

After finishing eating, Kenma pulls his knees to his chest, and lets himself be immersed in No Game, No Life. For all the trash that it was, he still loved it with all his being. He loved most fantasy scenarios where a normal person was summoned to a magical world, but this one was one of Kenma’s first experiences with it and it’d stuck near and dear to him.

He’s so into it, that he doesn’t realized Keiji had been giving him booze instead of tea. It wasn’t until he had to get up to pee that he noticed the world was a little wobbly.

_Fucking Keiji. I’m going to wring his neck._

Kenma grumbles on his way back from the bathroom. Apparently, in his drunk time, Keiji and Bokuto had disappeared. Shoyu still sat on the couch, eyes glued to the show.

Kenma plops down on the couch and reaches for a drink that he hopes isn’t more booze. Whatever Keiji had been giving him was making him horny. He wasn’t about to make that mistake tonight.

They’re about six episodes in when Shoyu starts tapping his leg incessantly and whining. Kenma just raises an eyebrow and pauses the show.

Shoyu hops up and runs to the bathroom.

_What are you, a grade-schooler?_

Refreshed, Shoyu gives a contented sigh and sits back down, though a little closer to Kenma than before. “Man. I’ve had to go for two episodes now, but I didn’t want to interrupt, and I didn’t want to miss anything.” He scratches the back of his head and laughs. “I’m loving it though!”

Kenma hums and presses play again.

It’s during the twelfth episode that Kenma fells something plop onto his side. He gives a small jump before looking over to find Shoyu fast asleep. Softly, Kenma pulls his legs down so Shoyu slips down and rests his head on Kenma’s lap.

_No endurance. You’d be a terrible gamer._

Kenma gives a small snicker before checking the time. It was only 4am.

_Only 4am?_

A cold chill goes through him. Sure, they’d been watching anime for the last several hours, but it wasn’t often Kenma could bare to spend that much time in the same room as another person. Keiji was usually the only exception.

Not wanting to disturb him, Kenma shifts so he’s more comfortable and starts to play on his phone. All is at peace in the world until Bokuto slips out of Keiji’s room. Seeing him, all of the hair on Kenma’s body raises and his flight reflex starts building inside him.

Bokuto catches them and gives another beam. He slowly walks over and ruffles Kenma’s hair. “Do you want me to move him? I can move him off you or I can put him in your bed so you two can sleep toge—”

“Bokuto-san.” Kenma sternly cuts him off.

Bokuto gives an awkward grin before backing up with his hands in the air. “I didn’t see anything. I’m just a big ole goofball who has to go pee.” He gives a small laugh to himself before going to the bathroom.

Kenma stares down at the sleeping boy in his lap. The TV screen illuminates his soft face, making Kenma want to touch it.

_He’s so pretty. So innocent looking._

Kenma jumps again when he hears Bokuto walking back by as he heads to Keiji’s room. He has one hand against his face to block his view of Kenma and Shoyu.

“Bokuto-san,” Kenma whispers.

“Hm?” Bokuto stops in his tracks.

“Will.” Kenma bites his lip. “Will you carry him to my bed for me?”

Even in the dark, Kenma can see Bokuto do a full-body jolt. He turns on his heel and the next thing Kenma knows, Shoyu is in the air. Yet, he was gentle as he set Shoyo down on the inside of the bed.

_I wonder if he’s sweet to Keiji like that. He better be. I joke about stabbing Keiji, but I really will stab anyone who doesn’t treat him right._

“Thanks, Bokuto-san.” Kenma whispers, shining his phone light at the door so Bokuto could get out.

“No prob!” Bokuto gives Kenma a side hug. “Good night! Let me know if you need anything else.”

_He’s kind of weird. And a little too touchy._

After Kenma hears Keiji’s door close, he looks over to the bed and then back at the couch.

_I really don’t want to sleep on the couch again. It’s worse than sleeping in my computer chair._

“Hnng.” He bites his lip.

_But sleeping in the same bed? I’m not so sure._

He gives a sigh and quickly changes into some more comfortable clothes. Carefully, he slips into bed and lays as far away as possible from Shoyu.

**. . .**

As much as Kenma hoped he would wake up before Shoyu, he didn’t. It was probably due to him and sleep not getting along very well in the first place. Or rather, him avoiding sleep as long as possible. Sleep was a chore when there were so many games to play.

He wakes to find Shoyu staring at him. Kenma’s eyes widen impossibly big before he squeezes them shut and curls into a ball.

“Good morning!” Shoyu chimes softly. “Sorry if I woke you. You’re just so pretty. I couldn’t help but to stare.”

_Is this guy insane? Who does that? Who says that?_

“Sorry. That was probably weird, wasn’t it?” He gives a small laugh. “How’d I get in here anyway?”

_Ugh. Don’t ask questions._

“I know Keiji was pouring liquor like water, but I don’t remember getting drunk enough to wander into your room without permission. I didn’t, did I?”

Kenma shakes his head.

“Phew!” Shoyu laughs. “I was genuinely worried there.”

“Is that something you do often?” Kenma mumbles.

“No! Never! I’ve never done it. I’ve _seen_ some of the guys do it though. It’s seriously not cool.”

Kenma can’t help but to crack a small smile at that.

“Hey, Kenma?”

“Hm?”

“You didn’t have a good time last night, did you?”

Kenma’s entire body freezes. He wants to hyperventilate but he can’t seem to force himself to even breathe.

“Aha! I didn’t think so.” Shoyu is quiet for a second before he continues quieter and disappointed. “I’m sorry. I don’t really know how to be a good date yet. It’s not something I have a lot of experience in. If you’ll give me another chance, I promise you’ll love the next date.”

Kenma squirms slightly, still not breathing.

_Was last night that bad?_

He didn’t have a panic attack and he never did ask Keiji to send everyone home so he could cry together in bed with Keiji. Last night couldn’t have been that bad.

“Ah. There won’t be a next date, will there?”

It’s a statement, more than a question. It drips with disappointment and understanding, more so than Kenma would’ve expected from Shoyu.

“I wish it weren’t that way, but I understand.” Shoyu gives a small sigh and sits up in bed. “I guess this is goodbye then.” He leans over and gives Kenma a small kiss on the head before scuffling out of bed and out of the door.

Kenma doesn’t leave his bed all day.

**. . .**

Kenma gives a grumble at the oppressive weight on him. “Keiji, stop eating out so much. You’re getting chunky.”

“I am not.” Keiji scoffs from a few feet away.

Internally, Kenma rolls his eyes around trying to do the math on how Keiji could be both crushing him and be across the room simultaneously. He jolts with realization and peeks one eye open to find Bokuto on top of him hugging him.

“What are you doing?” Kenma dryly asks. He wasn’t in the mood for any idiotic shenanigans. He’d had enough of those in the last few weeks. He just wanted peace and quiet so he could play his games and not have to deal with reality.

“Giving you a hug! You didn’t come out of your room all day yesterday. I figured you were sad.”

Kenma rolls his eyes. It wasn’t uncommon for him to not come out of his room.

“More importantly,” Keiji adds, sitting in Kenma’s chair and crossing his arms, “you didn’t pay a single game in your solitude.”

“Yeah! Isn’t that, like, your thing?”

Kenma slowly shuts his eyes and exhales deeply through his nose.

“Get off of me.” Kenma growls.

“Be nice, Kenma.” Akaashi warns back. “Koutarou just wanted to check on you. He’s worried about you.”

“Go be worried about your bro. I didn’t ask for your concern.”

Bokuto gives a whine. He squeezes Kenma tightly once more before letting go of him. “I thought we were bros too.” He slides out of bed and heads toward the door.

_In what world? We’ve never been bros._

“Get out, Keiji. I want to be alone.”

“Hmph! Fine.” Keiji follows Bokuto out and slams the door behind them.

**. . .**

Kenma doesn’t leave the apartment for another two days. Even then, the time he spent at home wasn’t enjoyable. He slept most of it. He felt bad. He couldn’t figure out why, be he felt like he was guilty of doing something wrong. Like he’d hurt someone.

Three days up, he had to go back to class. Unfortunately. He already never went on campus anyway, but sometimes he had to make the effort.

“Wow. You look like shit.” Keiji muses from behind his coffee cup. He didn’t look much better, but Kenma was pretty sure it wasn’t because a no-good-bad-bad feeling was eating him from inside.

“Thanks, asshole.”

Keiji cracks a small grin. “I miss you.”

Kenma doesn’t answer. He wants to. He wants to cry and run over to Keiji and hug and figure out why he feels so bad.

But he doesn’t move. He just stares at his feet as he continues to put on his shoes to leave for class.

Keiji’s the one to take the effort. Arms wrap around Kenma and Keiji’s soothing body heat envelopes Kenma. Keiji sighs at the contact and Kenma can feel himself melting into Keiji’s arms.

_Why can’t I ever be strong like Keiji? Like everyone else?_

Kenma cries. He doesn’t realize it, but tears are falling from his face. Keiji lets him cry. He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t shush him or tell him everything will be alright. He just holds him.

“Why do I feel so bad? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Keiji gives a hum and squeezes Kenma tighter.

“Maybe it’s not because you did something wrong. Maybe it’s because you didn’t do something right.”

**. . .**

That night after class, Kenma’s ready to collapse into bed. Getting out of bed was always hard, but total took every ounce of his energy to get through. When he got home, though, Keiji was there and had already ordered food and set up a game for them to play.

Kenma gives an exhausted smile. “Didn’t I tell you that you needed to stop eating out so much?” Kenma collapses onto Keiji and pinches his tummy. “I feel fluff.”

“It suits me though?” Keiji hums.

Kenma couldn’t deny that. Keiji had always been unfairly beautiful no matter what he looked like. He was afraid that one day he’d find Keiji in some ridiculously beautiful state and he’d impulsively propose to him.

“I’m surprised Bokuto-san hasn’t exercised you into losing that yet.”

“You mean with sex?”

Kenma gives him a blank look. Of course he’d meant with sex.

“Don’t worry.” Keiji winks. “He feeds me a lot too.”

Kenma bites the inside of his mouth and makes a blank face.

“Oh my god.” Keiji rolls his eyes and pushes Kenma’s face away from him. “I can’t believe you’re such a pervert.”

“Hey! I can’t help it that I was self-isolating and you two thought it would be a good time to have sex as much as possible!” Kenma groans. “It did not help with my mental state at all.”

Keiji raises one eyebrow seductively. “What about physical state?”

“Clearly not.” Kenma collapses back down and groans. “So tired. Feed me.”

“That’s a new level of laziness.”

“Can’t we just pretend I’m sick?”

“Then you’d try that trick all the time.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Uh huh.”

Kenma sticks his tongue out at Keiji who does the same back.

“Wait. Doesn’t Bokuto-san usually come over Wednesday’s?”

Keiji’s mouth opens but he hesitates. “Yes, but we both decided not to this week. Something about absence makes the meetup sex much better.”

Kenma frowns hard. “I’m getting in the way.”

“No.” Keiji runs his hand through Kenma’s hair. “Not unless you want to.” He gives a wink.

Kenma gives a loud, long groan. “I hate everything.”

“Except me.”

Kenma grumbles and wiggles around aimlessly.

“And you don’t hate everything. You hate whatever it is in your head that’s holding you back and making you miserable for listening to it.”

“What’s your major again?”

Keiji raises both his eyebrows and smiles. “Sleeping with frat boys with a minor in doing keg stands. Why?”

Kenma gives an ugly snort. “I need your help.”

“ _Finally_.”

**. . .**

_God. I can’t believe we’re doing this. I can’t believe_ I’m _doing this. I can’t believe_ I _want to do this._

“I can’t believe this was your idea.” Keiji whispers. “And here I thought the world had already ended. I was wrong. I was so wrong. It’s still so much very falling apart. I can’t wait to see it finally crumble.”

Kenma gives him a flat look as they head to the front door. Or, at least, he thought he was giving a flat look, but part of him feared, and knew, that he was probably just shaking.

Keiji lightly takes Kenma’s hand. “You look amazing. Everything is going to be okay. I’m here for you. Koutarou and Kuroo-san will also be there to support you.”

Kenma gives a painful gulp and slowly nods his head. Tonight was going to be rough. But, hopefully, not as rough as continuing as things are. Looking amazing wasn’t going to help anything about tonight. At least, he hoped. Looking good was just to help raise his own confidence, not actually assist him.

They leave the apartment holding hands and steadily head toward Kenma’s doom. It was at times like these that Kenma was grateful for Keiji’s unwavering confidence. If he was confident then there was nothing that could go wrong. Probably. Surely.

Kenma’s lost in thought the whole way there but even he can’t ignore the loud music their destination is blasting a few blocks away. Abruptly, he freezes mid-walk.

“Take your time.” Keiji whispers. “You have all night.”

Kenma takes a few panicked breaths in and out, on the verge of a panic attack, and swallows.

_Baby steps. Just keep walking for now. Get there before you start worrying about the rest._

As soon as they come around the back of the frat house, Kenma lays eyes on Shoyu.

The frat house, true to their nature, had decided to host another fundraiser. This time, it was makeshift beach volleyball. They’d gotten a lot of sand donated and made a court in the back yard. There were torches for light and an open bar too. Honestly, if there weren’t so many people, Kenma would’ve loved it. The moon was out, and the weather was great. It was maybe even a little romantic.

Shoyu was mid-air with his arm flinging forward to spike a ball. He hits it and it goes smashing past the blockers and into the sand on the other side. Upon hitting the ground, he gives a big cheer.

Kenma gulps.

Akaashi gives a small hum. “Cutie.”

Kenma looks over at him with wide eyes. People were starting to call and cheer for Shoyo. He was _popular_. He had _fans_.

“There’s no need to be intimidated. He’s been moping ever since you rejected him.”

_I didn’t even get a chance to reject him though._

“Now that we’re here, what’s the plan?”

“Plan?” Kenma quirks his eyebrows. “Being here is the plan. Isn’t that enough?”

Keiji frowns. “Usually, people would put forth more effort. But, for you, I suppose that is a lot of effort.” He ruffles Kenma’s hair. “Let’s get drinks and watch the game for now.”

Kenma nods. He had to wait until Shoyu was free anyway. Might as well get rid of those jitters.

**. . .**

Shoyu notices Kenma before the game ends. It results in him flubbing a spike. He makes eye contact, blushing and smiling. He gives a small wave that Kenma returns. Kenma’s relieved, but then Shoyu apparently remembers what happened the last time they’d seen each other. His blush deepens and he turns away from Kenma.

_Yeah. I deserve that._

The rest of the game Shoyu doesn’t play to his fullest capability. Kenma knows this because he watches the entire game and does it without pulling out his phone or a game once. The only time he stops watching is to talk to Keiji and near the end when he goes to go get a water bottle for Shoyu.

The game ends with the opposing team winning. If you could even consider either team as having lost. The crowd was pumped and massive. Whoever or whatever they were raising money for was going to be pleased.

As soon as the players leave the court, Kenma takes a deep breath and holds it. Akaashi, not having a modicum of gentleness in his whole body, slaps Kenma on the back.

“Now or never.” He warns with a smile before going over to meet Bokuto.

_I hate it when you’re right._

Kenma exhales deeply and shakes his head hard before walking toward Shoyo, who is talking with his teammates and wiping the sweat off his face. Kenma stops a few feet away from him and waits to be noticed.

Someone points over to Kenma, who’s staring at Shoyu intently, to get Shoyu’s attention. Shoyu gives an alarmed jump and makes a face that Kenma could only relate to being caught doing something guilty.

Shoyu quickly walks over to Kenma, missing his usual sunshine of a smile. “Kenma!” He opens his mouth to say more, but clamps it shut and rubs the back of his head. “I didn’t know you were going to be here. You surprised me.”

Kenma holds the water bottle out for him to take. “Sorry for surprising you.” He mutters as Shoyu takes the bottle from him.

After a long drink, Shoyu gives a refreshed gasp. “I didn’t say it was a bad thing!” He gives a big smile.

“You didn’t play as well after you noticed I was here.” Kenma mumbles. He crosses his arms and looks away.

A fake smile makes its way across Shoyu’s face. “You noticed?”

“Mn.” Kenma nods. “We were a little late, but I watched the whole match.”

Shoyu’s face falls. “Oh. Akaashi-san dragged you to another one of our events?”

Kenma stares at the ground and shakes his head. “No. I actually—” He swallows. His breath is starting to pick up in a way that caused more distress in itself than it should’ve. “I actually came to see you. To talk to you.”

“Oh.”

The music gets cranked up since the game was over. Kenma’s shoulders raise to his ears and he scrunches his eyes shut at the noise. Shoyu gently takes his hand.

“Let’s go somewhere quieter, yeah?”

Kenma just nods and lets Shoyu lead him away.

**. . .**

They wind up sitting on a bench far enough away from the frat house that the noise didn’t puncture their eardrums. Instead of his usual giddy excitement and leg swaying self, Shoyu sat there with his hands on his lap, looking down.

_It’s like I kicked a puppy. I guess I figuratively did, but still._

“I—.” Kenma stops. “I’m not exactly a social person. I don’t know how to interact with people.” He looks over to Shoyu, who hasn’t moved. “So, I don’t do well when I’m taken,” he swallows, “by surprise.”

Shoyu hums and rolls his thumbs around each other.

“I was. I was surprised last time.” Kenma manages to get out.

Shoyu’s head jerks up. “You. You were. Surprised?”

Kenma nods softly.

“I’m sorry.” Shoyu swallows. “I didn’t mean to surprise you or scare you.” He gives a forced smile. “I didn’t realize that, well,” he looks up to the sky and cocks his head, “that you’re different from me. I guess. I’m not sure how else to say it.”

Kenma shakes his head. “It’s not your fault. I’m not good at articulating how I feel.”

“Hm.” Shoyu grabs both of Kenma’s hands. “Is this okay?”

Nod.

“Are you mad at me?”

Head shake.

“I want to articulate how I feel. Is that okay?”

Kenma cringes and starts to pull his hands away. Shoyu loses his grip so he can easily slip away. Kenma bites his cheeks and squeezes Shoyu’s hands instead.

“I like you, Kenma. I like you a lot. If you’d be willing, I’d like to go on more dates with you. Or just be around you. We can watch more anime or play games or go back to the arcade. It doesn’t matter what.”

Kenma’s grip tightens on Shoyu’s hands. His heart starts beating at an unhealthy pace. Surely it would kill him.

_I hope this is on the list of things you’d like to do with me._

Kenma slowly leans in and kisses Shoyu on the lips. Shoyu jumps in surprise at first, but when Kenma starts to pull away, he squeezes Kenma’s hand and chases him for another kiss.

“Wow.” Shoyu sighs out. “Just wow. I’ve wanted to do that for so long. I can’t believe you did it first.”

Kenma hides his face behind his hair. Shoyu tucks a lock behind Kenma’s hair.

“I’m glad you came tonight.” He gives a real smile this time. “I know you hate these things. Do you want me to walk you home?”

“Volleyball.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s pay volleyball before I go home.” Kenma mumbles.

“Yes!” Shoyu jumps up from the bench. “Always yes to volleyball!” He grabs Kenma’s hands again and pulls him up from the bench. “But extra yes to volleyball with you.” He pulls Kenma in closer. “Can I kiss you again?”

Kenma, still trying to hide behind his hair, nods discreetly.

Shoyu starts to go in for the kiss but hesitates. “Before that,” he gives a shy grin, “will you be my boyfriend?”

Kenma’s eyes widen impossibly and his face fells impossibly hot. “I—.”

_Fuck it._

Kenma grabs the back of Shoyu’s head and kisses him. In-between kisses, he whispers a tiny yes. He worries Shoyu wouldn’t hear it, but by the grin on his face as he kissed Kenma and how he wrapped his arms around Kenma’s waist, he was pretty sure his message had gotten across.

_I can’t believe I fell for a frat guy. I can’t believe I’ll have to admit to people that I met him at a frat party. Whatever. No one’s going to believe me anyway._


End file.
